Childhood Obesity Essay Examples

1297 words - 6 pages
What is one of the most serious problems for children in North America today? These days, many people suffer from obesity in North America and, it causes problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and early mortality. A lot of people think that obesity is a problem only for adults, but now obesity has become one of the most serious problems for children in North America. Childhood obesity occurs when children are overweight and this is measured by body mass index (BMI). Obese children tend to be unhappy because they often have bad health, bad social relationships, and low self-confidence. Mayo clinic staff (2012) defined childhood obesity as:
Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition
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2551 words - 11 pages
just love them and their positive attitudes. Working with these children helped me realize that whatever I did in life would be focused around children such as them. The volunteer work I committed to at this hospital helped me realize the career field I wanted to go into, and it also taught me how important it is to keep the new generations yet to come healthy, and a massive risk factor that would risk the health of children is childhood obesity.
Although parents are not paying much attention to their children gaining excessive amounts of weight, it is a serious matter because it leads to illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and other health risks. Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic
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1502 words - 6 pages
Forty years ago in America childhood obesity was rarely a topic of conversation. A survey done in the early 1970s showed that 6.1% of children between the ages 12 and 19 were overweight. Eight years later the same survey was done and 17.4% were considered overweight (Iannelli). “Childhood obesity epidemic in America is now a confirmed fact since the number of overweight or obese children has more than tripled during the last 30 years” (Childhood Obesity Epidemic). “Over the last 20 years, the prevalence of obesity in children aged 6 to 11 years has tripled from 6.5% to 19.6%” (Childhood Obesity Epidemic). As a nation statistics should be alarming. Why are American children today so obese
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1593 words - 7 pages
Prenatal and postnatal care can affect the health of children in many ways, and if mothers do not take care of themselves and their babies during pregnancy it could have a drastic effect on their health after they are born. Professors at Brigham Young University, Michael Seipel and Kevin Shafer conducted research over the pre- and postnatal care of soon to be mothers to observe their effect on their children. The findings of their study show that the probability of childhood obesity can be lessened if pregnant women do not smoke and do not “gain significant pregnancy-related weight”. Gaining a significant amount of weight during your pregnancy can be unhealthy for both the mother and the
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1398 words - 6 pages
“Childhood obesity is a growing problem with the percentage of obese children doubling from 6.5% in 1980, to 17.0% in 2006. Weight, nutrition, and physical activity are the main components to a child’s overall health.”(1) To research childhood obesity you must know what it is, “obesity means having too much body fat. A child is obese if their weight is more than 20% higher than the ideal weight for a boy or girl of their age and height.”(2) Who is responsible for childhood obesity? This topic is interesting because it affects so many people. Everywhere that you look you see that there are articles and campaigns about childhood obesity in the United States of America. If you have every
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852 words - 3 pages
Childhood obesity is increasing among our children at an alarming rate. According to the Center of Disease Control, the number of obese children has tripled within the last thirty years. About ten percent of toddlers (ages 2-5 years) is overweight (CCCC). Forty years ago only four percent of our children were considered obese and today fifteen percent of them are. The main cause of childhood obesity is unhealthy eating habits and not enough physical activity. There are many things we can do in our homes, schools, and communities to help fight childhood obesity. Childhood obesity can lead to other health and social problems that will affect the children throughout their lives.There are many
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1763 words - 7 pages
“At present approximately 9 million children over 6 years of age are considered obese” (Mahshid Dehghan). Childhood obesity continues to increase every year. Childhood obesity has a lot of causes centering on an imbalance of energy taken in and the amount of energy used. Factors of childhood obesity include children having obese parents; low energy expenditure which is a low amount of physical activity is a factor and too much television which is a cause for low physical activity time. Another factor that influences childhood obesity is heredity. Infants born to overweight mothers are found to be less active than other infants. Parents are the primary contributors of childhood obesity based
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1472 words - 6 pages
Childhood obesity it is a huge epidemic. The number of obese children in the U.S. has increased over the past years. The number has obviously also grown due to the video games, computers, and televisions, which are considered to be needed now-a-days, and have begun to take over the importance of exercising. The lack of exercise can lead to obesity, which approaches a lot of negative effects. Obesity puts these children at a very high risk of developing many serious illnesses like high blood pressure, asthma, and many more. Even though there are many things that get in the way that can make obesity hard to slow down or stop children from being obese, there are some ways that can slow down or
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543 words - 2 pages
running head: child obesitychildhood obesity in AmericaIntroductionChildhood obesity is a growing pestilential problem in the United States of America. It is a very deliberate contention which can advance to many health and social commencement which can continue into after life. However, it is not as simple as this as the science behind childhood obesity is highly multifarious and can deviate between idiosyncratic. It is important that we implement prevention programs and get a better understanding of childhood obesity. However, medical advice and common sense are usually the safest and most effective ways of reducing childhood obesity in your child.DiscussionStudy found that 25 percent of
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992 words - 4 pages
promote healthy exercise habits and (with the help of local communities) be able to provide the necessary equipment to help adolescents get a healthy amount of physical activity. (American Obesity Association)
Lack of exercise isn’t the root cause of childhood obesity however it is, in fact, only half of the cause. The other cause is the consumption of high calorie foods. Adolescents today consume many high sugar, high calorie, low nutrition snacks. In many cases these snacks are used as rewards and/or a replacement for a normal meal. These practices foster bad eating habits. Instead, if children replaced the “junk food” they eat with foods that are low calorie and have a good
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1492 words - 6 pages
In the United States one out of five children are overweight or obese according to WebMD. When a child is overweight or obese, safety becomes an issue because it can seriously affect the young child’s health conditions. Obesity is now a worldwide health problem that has not only caused a lot of sparks and talk, but has also begun to rank as a serious risk, comparable to diseases.
Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. Obesity occurs when a child weighs above the normal weight for his or her age and height. Childhood obesity is a serious issue in the United States and around the world because the extra pounds may lead children to health
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920 words - 4 pages
Childhood Obesity
“Obesity is a disease in which a person is at increased risk of unfavorable health outcomes as a result of excess body fat” (Perpich, Russ, Rizzolo, & Sedrak, 2011, p. 31) Obesity can be measured by performing a body mass index test, which measures the excess fat of a person. As humans, body sizes vary in shape and size, but the weight of a child should be proportionate with their height (Perpich et al., 2011). Children are considered obese when their weight is approximately 20% more then what it should be based on their age (Perpich et al., 2011). Being obese can have a negative impact on the health of a child and lead to many long term complications that could have been
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1926 words - 8 pages
An obese child's quality of life can be compared to that of a child with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, according to a study published in 2003 (Wood & Vega, MD, 2007). "Dr. Philip Thomas, a surgeon in England, working with obese patients was asked in 2006 to comment on what seemed to be societies reaction to the skyrocketing number of obese children, and he was quoted as saying that, "This is going to be the first generation that is going to have a lower life expectancy than their parents, it's like the plague is in town and no one is interested" (Press, 2006). The rapidly increasing prevalence of childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions and continues to soar, with studies
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2390 words - 10 pages
behaviors are ones of reward, comfort food, and food or candy to express love (Kaneshiro, 2012). These learned habits develop quickly, are extremely hard to break, and may inadvertently cause a child to be obese.
The next issue that is contributing to the alarming rate of childhood obesity in the United States is lifestyle choices. The children of yesteryears lacked electronic entertainment, which encouraged a child to be active, participate in sports, and explore the outdoors with friends. In past generations being confined to the home was the equivalent to a prison sentence for an active child. Today, children are generally exposed to over thirty to forty video games on at least three
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902 words - 4 pages
Childhood obesity is becoming a prevalent, and scary reality in the United States. The body mass index (also referred to commonly as the BMI) is calculated by a growth chart developed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). These charts help to determine the corresponding BMI-Per-Age percentile. These numbers help determine whether a child is at a healthy rate of physical growth. The BMI is calculated from your height and weight.
Studies for childhood/adolescent obesity target the age group of 2-19 years old. When the child/adolescent is at or above the 85% through the 95% range on the BMI chart, they are considered to be overweight. Anything above the 95% mark is considered obese
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1233 words - 5 pages
In the community, nurses serve an important role in the fight against childhood obesity. In the community setting, a nurse is able to assess the preexisting knowledge of a child and their family. They are also able to follow a family over a long period of time than is allotted in the pediatrician’s office or hospital. Most children only see their nurses in the pediatrician’s office once a year. If it is a hospital admission in which the nurse is seeing that child, the nurse may never see that child ever again. Thus, community nurses have an advantage over other nurses because they are able to witness the child and his or her family outside of the hospital, a doctor’s office, or school
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1798 words - 7 pages
adults. A child with hypertension might not notice any symptoms while others might have headaches, feel fatigued and have chest pain. If this is treated early on the child should be able to live a healthy life. Whereas, if the hypertension is left untreated it can result in damage to the brain, kidneys and the heart. (2010) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research 2010
Besides the physical health risks of childhood obesity, children who suffer from being overweight can become the targets for bullying, which can result in low self-esteem and may also lead to depression. Kids get picked on because of their size, and not being able to wear some of the more in style
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650 words - 3 pages
Childhood obesity has become a more and more important issue in today’s world. There are genetic factors that are coming into play with people changing their lifestyles and culture changes have been a great influence on children around the world. Children are generally not as healthy as they were many years ago. Obesity has been the main cause of all these changes.
There is a difference between being overweight and obese. Being overweight not necessarily means your obese. People who lift weights and are heavier than their required weight for their age group, sure they are overweight but healthy (Defining). People who are obese, have a great body fat percentage then they should have
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708 words - 3 pages
Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is becoming a growing problem among families in America. The current fast paced lifestyle that families are living does not help this situation. We have allowed our busy lifestyle to affect our children. Childhood Obesity can lead to a number of problems for our children. There are three main effects of childhood obesity. Some of the effects of Childhood obesity are rising health issues such as high blood pressure, and diabetes. Children who are overweight often have self-esteem problems. Also, children who are obese are more likely to fall victim to bullying.
Childhood obesity causes immediate and long term effects on health and well being. Being an
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1814 words - 7 pages
In an era when increasing obesity is threatening our nation, we are cutting the very programs that could help prevent childhood obesity. There is a decline in how much physical education and nutrition kids are receiving because of the pressures to test children to chart academic performances. The lack of physical activity and poor diet is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States (Health Policy Guide). There have been more than nine million children overweight since 1996. At a young age, children who are obese will more than likely have cardiovascular diseases including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, dyslipedemia, and type two diabetes. Not only will
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1482 words - 6 pages
The World Health Organization (2006, WHO) defines obesity as a body mass index (weight-for-height) equal to or more than 30. In the UK the prevalence of obesity in childhood has significantly increased over the past twenty five years. A study commissioned by The Health Survey for England (HSE) showed that between 1996 and 2001 the proportion of obese children aged six to fifteen rose by 3.5 per cent from 20 per cent to 23.5 per cent of the population in that age bracket; there is no reason to suspect that the children of England are not representative of the United Kingdom as a whole.
Concern has grown that because of this increase obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes and heart
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1056 words - 4 pages
How convenient is it for us to go through a drive-thru and order a meal, or sit in the comforts of our living room and have something delivered to us? Among the many ways food has been made available to us, it appears that the lack of energy we spend in getting it is finally catching up to us. When I say catching up to us, I am referring to the crisis of obesity that we are facing. It appears to have been a problem that existed a long time ago, but has never really received the attention it deserves. It is a problem that millions of Americans are facing now and there seems to be no end in site. I think back to my childhood years, and how we would be at the local parks or in the
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878 words - 4 pages
. Obesity is currently one of the greatest concerns with regards to child health. In fact, “incidence of obesity among Canadian children is close to 20% and…increasing every year” (Nieman, par. 1). Children and adolescents spend the majority of their daytime hours at school. Logically, they should be getting most of their exercise at school as well. Parents of school-aged children should advocate for mandatory, daily physical education class in order to help reduce the rates of childhood obesity.
Parents who oppose mandatory daily physical education class in school argue that their children should spend their study time on core courses. Core subjects such as English, mathematics, science and
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1099 words - 4 pages
Childhood obesity continues to be a serious problem in the United States and around the world. According to Evans et al in the article Changing Perceptions of the Childhood
Obesity Epidemic, obesity is one of the primary causes of preventable death in the US, and costs
billions of dollars a year in health care expenditures. Their article discussed a study in which the attitudes of adults in the United States were studied, as well as the thoughts of the participants on the best ways to reduce childhood obesity.
According to MacDougall et al in the article We Have To Live in the Future, getting children to increase their levels of physical activity is the key to reducing childhood obesity
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2323 words - 10 pages
In 2012 CDC statistics show that “over 35 percent of adults and 32 percent of children in the United States of America are recorded as obese (30kg/m2), the obesity rate has doubled since 1971.1” Not only is epidemic growing in numbers of victims but also in expenses. The United States spent 147 billion dollars in 2008 on medical expenses costs and that does not include the programs that fight against the problem. “In 2003 over 300,000 died due to obesity related health problems, diseases and cancers.6” One of the most important battles we wage on American soil is the war for citizens to be fit, and it nearly always starts in the childhood. Since 1971 the problem of childhood and adult
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1000 words - 4 pages
population; as a result many have considered that the only way to manage this epidemic is by implying a fat tax. This tax will target people who fit a specific profile, if they tip the scale they must pay. But the weight is not only targeted at adults, obesity has targeted the most vulnerable people of our society, our children. According to the CDC obesity and overweight affects “17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19…”(p.1.) One day this generation of children will be adults and they should not be paying a tax because of their weight. Drastic measures need to be taken to treat childhood obesity and avoid a fat tax.
Food consumption is a common body function that
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915 words - 4 pages
There is a saying, “you are what you eat” which certainly appears to be true. Childhood obesity has become a nationwide epidemic. Canada has seen a massive increase in the number of unhealthy and obese children in the past twenty years. But who is to blame for this problem? People tend to blame socioeconomic factors and the mass media for their children’s weight problems. However, unhealthy family eating habits and a lack of family involvement in physical activity are major reasons for obesity in young children today.
Although people will argue that a child’s diet and lack of exercise are the leading causes for obesity in children, some people believe that obesity in children is caused
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3369 words - 13 pages
phenomenological design because of its exploratory nature, and it will be based upon recorded and transcribed interviews using semi-structured questions to capture the lived experiences of obese youth. The study will provide useful recommendations for future holistic approaches to the prevention/intervention of childhood obesity, as well as insight into the factors that have contributed to their current condition.
Design Overview
Quality research has a few important features. It tackles matters of actual importance that develop and enhance the knowledge on a specific matter, has a defined population, and generalizes results for use by a wider audience. High quality research focuses on solutions to
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1117 words - 4 pages
According to a 2010 report by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years. As well as having an impact on health, studies have cited a relationship between obesity and poor school performance as well as a child’s readiness for learning and education. This can be correlated with studies finding “obese children have a greater risk of social and psychological problems, such as discrimination and poor self-esteem” (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, para. 2). It has also been documented that obese children miss more days from school than the general student population and “many will lack
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2978 words - 12 pages
Child obesity has turned into a huge problem that continues to increase every year and parents seem to be either helping the situation or hurting the situation by specific actions they take. Each year the increase of numbers in childhood obesity keeps growing. Back then, it was rare to hear from a parent that their child was obese because back then all kids did and liked to do was go outside to parks, play sports, take walks anything that dealt with the outdoors made any kid a happy kid. In today’s world, that theory of play time does not exist nearly as much as it used to because of what society has introduced to the world. Society has introduced us to all these new and fun types of
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674 words - 3 pages
There was a time when chubby children were considered cute. It was assumed that their baby fat would melt away and a healthy adult would emerge. We now know that childhood obesity can be very harmful for our nations children. Not only can obesity cause health problems but also psychological problems. In observing the causes of childhood obesity, hopefully we can slow down the epidemic.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of obese children ages 6-19 have tripled to 16% over the last twelve years. That is an alarming figure. One of the main causes is lack of physical activity. This may seem like an obvious cause, but it seems to be the one our youth have the
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2881 words - 12 pages
Introduction
Childhood obesity is increasingly becoming a major problem of Public Health in developing countries, particularly in Canada and the United States. Lack of physical activity, poor nutritional choices, easily accessible fast foods and the built environment are all seen as factors that contribute greatly to childhood obesity. Individuals who are obese have increased risk of developing high blood pressure, impaired glucose function and may sometimes fall victims to physical and psychological abuse (Ludwig, Peterson & Gortmaker, 2001). In Canada, the prevalence rate of obesity has risen predominantly among children and adolescents (Roberts, Shields, De Groh, Aziz & Gilbert, 2012
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1738 words - 7 pages
"Today, about one in three American kids and teens are overweight or obese; nearly triple the rate from 1983. With good reason, childhood obesity is now the Number 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and smoking. If current trends continue, today’s kids could be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents" (Clinton, para. 3 2011).
Children may not understand the complexities of food intake or obesity but they continue to be affected by the issue. The reality is that if a parent enables their kids to make poor eating choices as children; they will struggle as adults to make the right eating choices. Many factors contribute to childhood
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971 words - 4 pages
no a health class tought to us and we and
recieved very minimal information. In middle school we did have a a health class but it was a very short rotation and we only
had it two out of the three years we were there. In high school we are only required .5 credits in health to graduate which is
tought every other day for only half the year(HCPS). I believe that teaching new health classes throughout all the grades will
help kids reliese the importance of staying healthy and of ways to do it.
I believe that that the third and final way to be able to decrease the amount of children who are suffering from childhood obesity is begin teaching the fundamentails of staying healthy when
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1188 words - 5 pages
Childhood obesity is more prevalent today than ever before. Our children for the future are being failed. Healthy living needs to be taken more seriously. More and more households have both parents working full-time jobs to provide shelter, food, and clothing for their families. Providing the basic necessities is not enough for a healthy family. Parents need to become more involved with their child's life. Child obesity has been medically proven to increase the risk of long-term life altering illnesses. A more positive role by our nations parents should be taken to lead our children to a healthier future.Emma a nine year old weighs a hundred and ten pounds. When returning home from school
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1622 words - 6 pages
was diagnosed as a pre-diabetic with a blood sugar test showing a high of 115.
A recommendation to Michael’s parents were to help reduce his weight. To his doctor, helping Michael improve his diet and increase his physical activity level was a must. Action was taken right away. Cutting back on fast foods and sodas, which limited saturated fats and carbohydrates in his diet, helped him to lose the extra belly fat. A month later, results were dramatic. Michael had lost eight pounds! By doing so he reduced his risk for type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease. With a little help and following a healthy lifestyle, it has saved this young boy’s life.
Childhood obesity is a
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1769 words - 7 pages
Victims of obesity are younger and younger each year. Society needs to be
involved and contribute to find a way to encourage children to be more active. Schools, Pro athletes, and emotional support need to promote children’s well-being; however, non parent involvement, unwise food choices, and too much government intervene are affecting little ones.
To achieve this goal, schools can help the children by avoiding the type of place where “many children just stand around at recess and talk to friends” (Childhood Obesity,69).
Requiring children to be physically active during recess can help make a difference in the fundamental growth of a child. Having a program ready and set for the
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738 words - 3 pages
To help out with my research on childhood obesity I am creating this annotated bibliography. I am researching the health issues related to childhood obesity as well as the long term effects.
Rance, K. Laughlen, M. (April, 2011). Obesity and asthma: A dangerous link in children. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners. Volume 7, Issues 4, p. 287-292. Retrieved 12/12/2013, from http://www.npjournal.org/article/S1555-4155(10)00358-2/fulltext
In this journal the two authors Rance and Laughlen go into details about the background and significant on obesity and asthma, which is consider a health risk related to obesity. They also provide data about the occurrence of these two health
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1246 words - 5 pages
When speaking of her 8-year old daughter's obesity, a prideful mother replies "Oh it's no big deal, she just still has her baby fat." Unfortunately, chances are that the daughter's obesity is not caused by her baby fat, but can be contributed to a combination of diet, genetics, and a sedentary lifestyle. Studies show that obesity among children 6-17 years of age, has increased by 50% in the last 20 years, with the most dramatic increase seen in children ages 6-11 (Axmaker, 1). This obvious epidemic has raised great concern in the medical community because widespread childhood obesity has increased the prevalence of the once rare juvenile diabetes and pediatric hypertension (Bastin, 45
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1713 words - 7 pages
Obesity is defined as an unnecessary buildup of body fat. "Obesity is present when total body weight is more than 25 percent fat in boys and more than 32 percent fat in girls" (Lohman, 1987). Although childhood obesity is often defined as a weight-for-height in excess of 120 percent of the ideal, skin fold measures are more accurate determinants of corpulence (Dietz, 676-686; Lohman, 1987). Skin fold thickness is a technique used to evaluate body composition by measuring a double thickness of skin at particular body location. When the triceps and calf are used, a total of skin folds of 10-25mm is considered best for boys, and 16-30mm is best for girls (Lohman,1987).According to Torgan, "The
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1691 words - 7 pages
Childhood obesity is not a new term by an means but in the last few years it has grown in popularity. Some call childhood obesity the next “national epidemic”, sounds pretty scary especially when it’s effecting the youngest of Americans. Obesity is among one of the easiest medical condition to recognize but is the most difficult to treat. Children who are overweight are 10x more likely to become overweight adults unless they change their eating habits and exercise (“Mayo” 1). Thirty percent of adult obesity begins in childhood, it is also said obesity is the cause of 300,000 deaths a year. Obesity cost society an estimated $100 billion a year. Today, about one third of American’s children
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1190 words - 5 pages
“This might be the first generation where kids are dying at a younger age than their parents and it's related primarily to the obesity problem.” Judy Davis. Childhood obesity is not a new term by an means but in the last few years it has grown in popularity. Some call childhood obesity the next “national epidemic”, sounds pretty scary especially when it’s effecting the youngest of Americans. Obesity is among one of the easiest medical condition to recognize but is the most difficult to treat. Children who are overweight are 10x more likely to become overweight adults unless they change their eating habits and exercise. (“Childhood Obesity. Pg 1). 30% of adult obesity begins in childhood, it
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1840 words - 8 pages
Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States resulting in medical illnesses and shortened life span, action needs to be taken to eat a healthy diet and incorporate exercise into daily life. Among children today, obesity is causing a wide range of health problems that in the past were not seen until adulthood. These include heart disease, respiratory disease, bone fractures and diabetes. There are also psychological effects; obese children are more likely to have low self-esteem, negative body image, eating disorders and depression. Excess weight at a young age has tracked to higher and earlier death rates in adulthood. This paper will pinpoint strategies to use to help
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1117 words - 5 pages
follow these guidelines (CDC, 2010).
Health Consequences. When looking solely at medical construction, obesity is not a problem of not fitting into jeans or a dress, visceral fat accumulation is related to many diseases like insulin resistance, hypertension, coronary artery disease, type II diabetes, sleep apnea syndrome, and more, essentially increasing the risk for mortality. Furthermore, children are becoming obese in alarming numbers. This is a significant problem because childhood obesity presents a considerable risk of adult obesity and the lifelong health risks that come along with it (Dorsey KB, Wells C, Krumholz HM,Concato JC, 2005). Even more alarming, overweight and obese
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1716 words - 7 pages
Childhood obesity is beginning to affect more children. Many studies are finding many different contributing factors to the newest childhood disease: obesity. The term "childhood obesity" refers to both children and adolescents. To define the age differences between the two groups, "children refer to 6 to 11 years of age, and adolescents to 12 to 17 years of age" (American Obesity Association, 2005, p.1).Studies have found increases in health risks associated with childhood obesity. Health concerns that once only affected adults are now becoming more prevalent in children. For example, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and hypertension are all on the rise in today's young America. The diagnosis and
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2261 words - 10 pages
Childhood obesity
Numerous children are victims of a variety of health problems inflicted by the deficiency of good nutrition and physical activity. Childhood obesity is a national epidemic and is continuously growing rapidly. Obesity is an excessive amount of body fat in relation to body mass, being overweight is your body weight in relation to your height (L. Marcus Ph. D and A. Baron M.S.W.). Obesity is the most distinct medical condition but the most difficult condition to treat. Obesity is the result of calorie imbalance. Obesity is commonly caused by overeating and lack of exercise although there are genetic diseases and hormonal disorders that can cause obesity. When children eat
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2169 words - 9 pages
Childhood Obesity
Statement of Problem
Childhood and adolescent obesity is a problem of significant concern. Whether obese or at risk, excessive fat is based on the ratio of weight to height, age, and gender of the individual (Ul-Haq, Mackay, Fenwick, & Pell, 2013). Today’s youth are considered the most inactive generation in history thus, childhood and adolescent obesity is more prevalent than ever before. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) documents the obesity rate in children ages 6-11 in 2012 at 18% (an increase from seven percent in 1980), and adolescents at 21% (an increase from five percent in 1980). The obesity rate in children has more than doubled and quadrupled in
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2086 words - 8 pages
“I don't know too many parents that want to feed their kids’ soda, but high-fructose corn syrup is cheap. The price of soda in 20 years has gone down 40 percent, while the price of whole foods, fruits and vegetables, has gone up 40 percent and obesity goes up right along that curve” (Tom Colicchio). Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. We live in a world where our children can step out of their school and walk into a McDonalds. Where soda companies make millions of dollars a year by placing soda machines in schools. A world where people are dying faster from childhood obesity than smoking. No matter how hard we try to avoid the topic, it's
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1577 words - 6 pages
Imagine a bucket of chicken, half a pizza, a Kid's Meal from McDonald's, and a large Cola. It sounds like there is enough food to feed at least a dozen people, right? Now imagine all that food going only into one mouth, in one sitting. The mouth belonging to a six-year-old girl weighing 70 pounds, who does not want to go out and play, only wanting to watch TV or play video games. How did this child develop these eating habits? What will become of this child? What kind of measures can help this child? Due to the rising epidemic of childhood obesity, especially in young girls, it is important to address the underlying causes, effects, and preventative measures of childhood obesity.Childhood
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815 words - 4 pages
girls happened to be more affected than boys. Between the National Health and Nutrition I and III surveys, performed over a course of twenty years, the percentage of obese young girls has increased more than two hundred percent, whereas the percentage of obese boys increased less than twenty five percent. However, in children six years old and older, the prevalence has doubled in both girls and boys.
Contributions to Childhood Obesity
Throughout the world, there is a lack of access to healthy foods. In some lower class countries, foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein are a delicacy. Families in poor communities often live where supermarkets and grocery stores are
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